An Exploration of The Concept of Spiritual Union in The Poetry of George Herbert and Tukaram (original) (raw)
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Es Revista De Filologia Inglesa, 2005
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Within this thesis, I posit that poetry, rather than philosophical argument, is a more effective means of expressing and understanding the nature of mystical experiences. William James' analysis of mysticism inspires the theoretical approach utilized in this thesis. An analysis of the unique qualities of poetic language within mystical discourse is given. Cross-cultural mysticism between Abrahamic and Buddhist religious traditions is analyzed, along with a comparative exegesis of mystical poets from these traditions. Theologian Ursula
The Oxford Handbook of Mystical Theology, 2019
The development of Christian mysticism is deeply bound to poetics. This examination first considers Platonic poetry, Hebrew creation, and Christian kenosis as sources of poetic mysticism, before turning to an elaboration of the role of rhythm, language and the poetic imagination. The appraisal then considers the historical development of mystical poetry, beginning with early Christian reflection on the figurative and lyrical use of scriptural language to express a deep personal relationship with God. The development of vernacular mysticism, and its adoption of this scriptural model, is then explored through a detailed consideration of four mystical poets (Dante, Jacopone, Hadewijch and Angelus Silesius). The interaction of poetic form and spiritual content is elaborated throughout, with the aim of demonstrating how poetics allows the mystical writer to achieve a result for the reader otherwise not possible in discursive forms of communication.
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Art is a human activity but its distinctiveness lies in being independent. A poet as an artist has certainly some initial motivating impulse, albeit love for women, country, God, world, Nature etc. This artistic impulse is free from the set norms and social conventions. What urges an artist to express an inner excitement, restlessness, and compulsion to express the inexpressible experiences to the external world. Poetry is a pure art, because it serves as an ultimate medium for the ineffable experiences and observations particularly when a mystic poet who feels pain to give vent to his spiritual achievements. The present paper tries to illustrate such mystic experiences that have tempted the mystic poets to use poetry as an artistic expression. Though there is a lot of work done on mysticism and mystic poetry but my paper has a distinct perspective and throws light on the mystic tendencies of some of the great English mystic poets mentioned in the paper. All art in all times has bee...
Alone with God_A reflection paper on a Poem Composed in 2013
This unity with God when composing this poem is achieved without ecstasy but time passing. This spiritual journey, consisted of hundreds of spiritual experiences with God, is not instantaneous but time consuming. The growth of the spirit inside is not achieved by one instance with Divinity, thus not mystical experience. Then what is mysticism? How is it realized? How does the Divine reveal Himself/Herself to us in mysticism? Do we need spiritual experiences to unite with the Divine? Does Divinity ever occur without any condition? How can this unity realized? What do people feel and see in this union? How does that mean to us? How can we touch the unspeakable beauty? In this paper, the poet will demonstrate that mysticism is distinctive of spiritual experience and the initiator of such union is independent of human effort. The following paragraphs will explain how spiritual experience with God is related to mysticism in a Christian perspective, the approach of other religions in understanding mysticism, and how atheists interpret mysticism.
مجلة کلیة الآداب جامعة الفیوم, 2021
Ecstasy, though, is an inexpressible and condensed experience through which the Ultimate can be revealed, the mystic poet finds expression in resorting to symbolism to reflect the uniqueness of his/her spiritual experience and to communicate the unsaying. Approaching the divine essence and expressing the euphoria of His presence in meditation, recollection and self-forgetfulness are often described as provoking ecstatic trance-like states of intoxication, dancing, flying, or even death. Within a broad interest in comparative mystical literature, this study traces the creative merit and the mystical layers of significance behind the writings of the Arab Sufi 'A'ishah al-Ba'uniyya and the Irish poet, W.B. Yeats. It follows a synthesis model, mainly Heidegger's existentialist view of ecstasy that envisages non-temporality presence, epiphany, transcendence and the experience of Being or Dasein, Jung's concept of individuation, and the Sufi theory of Ibn Arabi and Ibn al-Farid. This paper examines the interpretation of ‗Aishah's and Yeats' spiritual visions, though different in culture, religion and gender, in terms of a powerful and beautiful poetic endeavour. Their mystical poetry reveals a blend of Western and Eastern thoughts though it is dominated by a single Sufi touch. Their symbolism of love and ecstasy reveals the lovers' yearning to drink the undrinkable, and how "They are drunk on cups of love" to approach the Absolute. Since wine intoxication is forbidden in Islam, though Halal in the afterlife, it is used beyond even the sensual realm. This paper also investigates how spiritual dimensions, like transport, unveiling, illumination and beauty of the divine beloved, are exquisitely and metaphorically interconnected with physical love